In wooden cabinets for kitchens and bathrooms, it has long been a design practice to provide a recessed lowermost horizontal portion along the base of the cabinets to allow the front part of a person's feet to extend inwardly beyond the uppermost front surface. In this manner, the person is able to stand closer to the uppermost front surface, hence closer to the front of the countertop. Standing closer to the front of the countertop provides improved ergonomics because the person is required to bend the upper torso section to a lesser degree to perform whatever task is being undertaken. This recessed lowermost front surface is generally referred to as a toe kick or toe kick recess. Wooden cabinets commonly include the toe kick recess along the base of the cabinets at least along the front side and sometimes the lateral ends of the cabinets.
The recessed toe kick surface is typically constructed of a “like” material and has a similar finish as the front or side surface of the cabinet. Most often, the recessed toe kick surface is finished with a wooden material, e.g. wood or wood composite (such as plywood, particle board, etc.) or a colored extruded rubbery-type material, typically in white, black, beige or wood grain. The toe kick surface undergoes far more physical abuse than the uppermost front surface and side surfaces due to the constant contact with the shoes, brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners, etc. The materials used for the front surfaces of the cabinet are selected for this severity and frequency of abuse. The toe kick surface, which is typically constructed of the above materials, will therefore, over time and usage, degrade in appearance as evidenced by scratches, wear, and damage.
Certain types of floor surfaces, notably ceramic tile, provide for the ability to extend the horizontal floor surface upwardly at the intersection of the cabinet base to effectively cover the toe kick surface. While this does provide both protection and aesthetic appeal, it requires that the floor be built around the cabinet structure, which is an extensive and costly undertaking.
There is also an increasing trend toward the use of kitchen appliances that have the appearance of commercial appliances such as are used in restaurants, with the object being to give home kitchens a similar appearance to those of restaurant kitchens. A common material used in commercial appliances is stainless steel. Residential kitchen cabinetry is typically finished in either a natural wood grain, colored rubber or a colored painted surface. In order to coordinate the appearance of cabinetry typically installed in residential kitchens or in new kitchen construction requires the use of costly commercial grade cabinetry.